Fortune Favours- A Threesome. 4 Sides of a 1978 original Vinyl and 3 cans of beers of different styles. It’s a humid wet afternoon and there wasn’t anything else to do.
The return of the chubby white chap
Of course all these are brewed by Fortune Favours and they are based in Wellington.
Fortune Favours The Oregonian All American Amber Ale – An Amber Ale . Why travel to the States when beer this great is available in Gods-Own?
Canned Craft beer of 330ml, and 5.9% ABV which is about 1.5 standard drinks in NZ – All American Amber – Our tribute to the pioneering craft brewers in the Pacific North West,
The Oregonian is an All-American Amber. Pine and citrus aromas and flavors meld with the malt base to deliver a tasty, balanced and highly drinkable beer..
So, What could possibly go wrong? Nice malt aroma and green hops, Nicely sweet that balances that sudden bitterness which moves nicely though to a soft cushioned finish.
This beer deepen and ends up a rather dull chore to be honest, it’s nice but it’s not dazzling and I’m not sure it’s a style that I enjoy, but the music! This is a beer that the pdubyah-o-meter says scrapes to a 7
Fortune Favours The Adventurer Green Bullet Pilsner – A Pilsener No need to be adventurous when deciding to purchase this beer.
Canned Craft beer of 330ml and 5% ABV this is about 1.3 standard drinks in NZ- For those seeking a refreshing pilsner, something more than mainstream but without getting too carried away.
Perfect for a hot day on the deck. The Green Bullet hop has long been associated with one of the big boys iconic beers, this has meant it has been, mostly overlooked by craft brewers. Fortune Favours is hijacking the Green Bullet and giving you a fresh look at this hop and the greatness it holds.
So, What could possibly go wrong? Flipped to side two of 4 on the vinyl, they’re getting into their groove.
Of course a much paler our with a small foam head. A hop aroma that isn’t strong but is familiar.
Nothing to write home about, this seems to be an un-inspiring everyman effort at a lager beer, there is little to distinguish it and the aroma and taste seem to be dialled back or held back and rather grain led. Not a bad move for moving bulk, but not a sign that you’re reaching for something. A beer that the pdubyah-o-meter says stutters to a 6
Fortune Favours The Naturalist Unfiltered Pale Ale – A American Pale Ale. It’s natural, so it’s good for you. Right? Regardless it’s a great Pale Ale!
Canned craft beer of 5.3% ABV this one is about 1.4 standard drinks in NZ- Filtering is used to clarify beer by removing yeast and protein. It makes beer look lovely and bright but its downside is taking out some of the desired flavors. For The Naturalist we use a combination of beer finings and an extended cold conditioning time to clarify the beer while preserving all that flavorful character. The Naturalist perfectly balances and lends itself to multiple pints. Expect citrus flavors from generous hopping which gives orange marmalade, sherbet and a little white pepper spiciness to boot!
So, What could possibly go wrong? Well I had this beer on tap, and I thought it was ok, as things go.
This is a fairly green beer, raw and rough, and it’s rather jumpy at you, it’s also not as unfiltered as it might be, it’s hazy sure but not foggy cloudy. Bitterness is ok but it ends there, at ok. Disappointing that the brewer has chosen the middle and not the edge of brewing. I seem to have enjoyed this more fresh on tap when I thought it was quite bright A beer that all when is said and done on the pdubyah-o-meter makes a 7, just
I’m always excited by the thought of new beer. and there were a couple of warning signs and red flags with Fortune Favours that I chose to ignore. In no order; They seems to have a quite a wide range for a new brewer, unless they’ve decided on a core and wanted to come out on all fronts. Price. These are reasonably priced, so much so that they seem a bargain against other similar beers from other brewers. I discover today why though, these are brewed to a commercial level and not a test brewing boundaries. They are safe easy beers in the middle everyman mass appeal beers. This doesn’t make them bad, or even like the worst of the commercial beers, it just makes them like them and no different. If I’m in Wellington I’ll go visit but only because I know it’ll be safe.
The double dip review
Music for this: ”Live And Dangerous (Remastered Version) by Thin Lizzy Except I’m on Vinyl but if you want to sing along